A recent poll suggests that 63% of Canadians want to limit immigration levels.
The study engaged 1,528 Canadians online, which was conducted by the market research company Leger on behalf of the Canadian Press.
Discontent over the handling of Canada’s immigration system is spread throughout both left-wing and right-wing parties. In the largest group, 81 percent of Conservative respondents wanted to limit immigration levels, while the Greens followed with 57 percent who also wanted to see immigration limited.
44 percent of NDP respondents also chose the same option, while a slightly lower 41 percent of Liberals agreed with the statement.
In 2017, the Liberal government committed to admitting approximately one million immigrants into Canada by 2020. The target would require an intake of around 300,000 a year from 2017 to 2020.
Despite the insistence from Canadians that they are opposed to the government’s immigration policy, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen has called the trend “worrying” while laying blame with Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer.
“What worries me is looking at the other side and seeing the leader of the Official Opposition taking a stance that is rooted in misinformation and conspiracy theories,” said Hussen.
Responding to accusations by Minister Hussen, Andrew Scheer claimed that the fault lies with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party’s handling of illegal immigration.
“There is absolutely nothing fair or compassionate about real victims of persecution having to fight the government to be reunited with their families, or forcing the oppressed to wait longer for Canada’s help while others jump the queue, exploit loopholes and cross the border illegally from places like upstate New York,” said Scheer.
According to official statistics, the Liberals have allowed 41,577 migrants to cross into the country illegally from February 2017 to March 2019.
When polled by Angus Reid in 2018, 67% of Canadians agreed that the border situation was indeed a “crisis”.
Opinions about immigration among Canadians have become more negative since Justin Trudeau was elected Prime Minister in 2015.
True North’s founder Candice Malcolm believes Trudeau’s immigration approach is bringing Canadians to a breaking point.
“Trudeau has pushed reckless immigration policies — inviting the world’s refugees to come to Canada on social media, refusing to secure our borders, eliminating health standards for immigrants, and championing the UN global compact — all while telling the New York Times magazine that Canada has ‘no core identity, no mainstream,’” said Malcolm.
